Cushion shanks for footwear



June 27, 1961 LEMON CUSHION SHANKS FOR FOOTWEAR Filed July 14, 1959 INVENTOR 2 J. 21mm.

mare ATTORNEYS United States Patent 2,989,812 CUSHION SHANKS FOR FOOTWEAR Russie S. Lemon, 307 11th St., Nocona, Tex. Filed July 14, 1959, Ser. No. 827,118 3 "Claims. (Cl. 36-76) This invention relates to footwear and more particularly to sole constructions and means for permanently securing the various elements of the sole to each other and to contiguous portions of the uppers.

The general object of the invention is the provision of a novel and improved shoe construction embodying means for attaining a stronger and more permanent adherence and interlock between the insole, the outsole, and the edges of the vamp and vamp lining, which will insure that the sole structure will not give down adjacent the position of the arch of the foot nor come loose in the shank of the shoe or boot.

In the manufacture of footwear, especially in the case of boots or Wellingtons, it has been found diflicult to prevent separation of the parts at the shank portion, particularly where the shank is reinforced by a rigid arch stiffening or supporting member.

The present invention embraces among its novel features, not only the provision of ingenious means for incorporating a rigid shank reinforcing element into the sole assembly, but also the application of a resilient cushion, and the provision of means for permanently securing the sole parts together and interlocking and anchoring the vamp portions of the upper permanently to the sole at the shank of the boot or shoe.

The invention also envisions a, novel process or method of shoe construction as it pertains to the shank and vamp assembly.

Other objects and features of novelty will be apparent from the following specification when read in connection with the accompanying drawings in which one embodiment of the invention is illustrated by way of example.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a view in side elevation of a boot embodying the principles of the invention, with the shank portion of the sole shown in central longitudinal section, substantially as on line 11 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 2 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken on line 22 of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary view in longitudinal section taken on the off-center section line 3-3 of FIG- URE 2.

In the drawings a boot is depicted as an example of the footwear to which the invention may be applied and this boot comprises the conventional portions including the uppers 11 having a toe portion 12, a heel portion 13, and a vamp portion 15 adjacent the shank of the boot. A heel 16 is applied to the outsole 20 in the usual way.

As best shown in FIGURE 2 of the drawings, the shank portion of the sole of the boot comprises the outsole 20 and an insole member 21 between which elements the lower margins of the vamp portions 15 and of the vamp lining 22 are received.

In the illustrated example, the shank portion of the outsole is outwardly convex and inwardly concave and the insole 21 is of a generally similar concavo-convex construction. On the lower convex side of the insole a longitudinal recess or slot 24 is cut, and within this recess there is disposed an arch supporting and reinforcing element 25, which as suggested in the drawings may be longitudinally corrugated for additional strength and rigidity. This element may be made of metal, stiif plastic, or other suitable material. The longitudinal extent of the recess and the contained arch supporting element 25 2,989,812 Patented June 27, 1961 is suggested in FIGURE 1 of the drawings, although this dimension may of course be varied in particular cases.

The recess 24 cut in the lower surface of the insole 21 leaves lateral lip portions 27 against which the edges of the vamp 15 and vamp lining 22 are secured: first, by the application of strong adhesive to the adjoining surfaces of the elements 15, 21 and 22 and further by means of nails, staples or stitching as suggested at 28. This combined fastening means affords a permanent lock of the vamp and the vamp lining to the insole.

Next in order in the construction of the sole, the entire shank portion of the boot from the outer edges of the insole to the ball or forepart of the boot is coated with a permanent adhesive. Then the insert or stiffening element 25 of steel or other suitable rigid material is secured in the recess in the lower central portion of the insole to give the desired arch support. Then a cushion element 30 made of rubber or other equivalent elastomer is shaped with tapering ends and side edges as shown and after coating with a strong permanent adhesive it is applied to the exposed surface of the rigid element 25 and the outer parts of the edges of the vamp and vamp lining assembly 15, 22.

Next the outer surface of the rubber cushion element 30 is coated with adhesive and the inside face of the outsole 20 is similarly coated and the parts pressed together to form still another bond for the cushion and associated elements. The lateral portions of the inner surface of the outsole 20 also serve to bond the vamp from the outer edge of the insole to the cushion 30. Next a row of wooden pegs 32 are driven through the outsole, the edge of the cushion 30, and the edges of the vamp and vamp lining, and thence into (or through) the insole 21.

By this method of construction the vamp and vamp lining are in effect triple locked to the insole and double locked to the outsole and afliord a quite superior method of firmly uniting these parts to prevent breakdown at the shank.

Also, the described construction aflords good arch support without being so rigid as to cause discomfort, this arrangement serving to cushion the arch of the foot in a manner similar to the provision of the rubber heels to cushion the heel portion of the foot.

It is understood that various changes and modifications may be made in the embodiment illustrated and described herein without departing from the scope of the invention as determined by the following claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a sole construction for footwear, an outsole having a shank portion; an insole having a corresponding shank portion overlying the shank portion of said outsole; and uppers, the lower marginal portions of which are secured to said lateral portions of the insole and outsole; a relatively stiff longitudinally extending arch supporting element disposed along the underside of the shank portion of said insole; and an elastomeric cushioning insert disposed between and in contact with said element and said outsole, said insent being approximately coextensive with said element and substantially confined within the shank portion of the sole construction; said cushioning element resiliently yieldably supporting said insert in spaced relation above said outsole, means for seeming the insole, the outsole, and said cushioning element together; the cushioning element yielding elastically under pressure of the stiif arch supporting element and thus preventing abnormal pressures at the arch of the foot and assuring firm but comfortable support at that point.

2. In a sole construction for footwear, an outsole having a shank portion; an insole having a corresponding shank portion overlying the shank portion of said outsole; and uppers, the lower marginal areas of the vamp portion of which at each side of the construction are received between the respective lateral portions of the mutually facing surfaces of the insole and outsole, means securing said vamp portions firmly to said lateral portions of the insole and outsole; a longitudinally extending recesslalong the central portion of the underside of the shank portion of said insole; a relatively stiff longitudinally extending arch supporting element disposed within said recess in vertically spaced relation above said outsole; and an elastomeric cushioning insert disposed beneath said insole, bridging said recess, and lying between and in contact with both said arch supporting element and the upper surface of said outsole, said cushioning insert being ap proximately coextensive with said element and resiliently yieldably supporting said element and insole for movement toward the outsole, and means for securing said outsole and said insert to the lateral lower portions of said insole upon each side of said recess.

3. In a sole construction for footwear, an outsole having a shank portion, an insole also having a corresponding shank portion, the shank portion of said insole having a longitudinally extending recess along the central portion of its underside leaving laterally spaced lip portions upon each side of said recess, and uppers, the lower marginal areas of the vamp portions of which at each side of the construction are received between the said lip portions of the insole and the side portions of the outsole, and means for securing said vamp portions to said lip portions of the insole; a relatively stifl? longitudinally extending arch supporting element disposed in said recess in vertically spaced relation above said outsole with its lower surface substantially flush with the lip portions with the vamp portions applied thereto; and an elastomeric cushioning insert disposed beneath the insole, bridging said recess and with its lateral marginal portions underlying the innermost edges of said vamp portions and the lip portion of the insole, said insert lying between and in contact with both the arch supporting element and upper surface of said outsole, said cushioning insert resiliently yieldably maintaining said element and insole in spaced relation above said outsole and being disposed substantially wholly within the shank portion of the sole construction, and means for securing said outsole and said insert to the lateral lower portions of said insole upon each side of said recess.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,021,032 Wood Mar. 26, 1912 1,652,034 Mayers Dec. 6, 1927 1,751,991 Gilkerson Mar. 25, 1930 1,811,911 Brogan June 30, 1931 1,911,583 Paxinos May 30, 1933 1,920,383 Hadaway Aug, 1, 1933 1,928,989 Zide Oct. 3, 1933 1,985,545 Nickerson Dec. 25, 1934 2,171,719 Whelton Sept. 5, 1939 2,222,391 Andreasen Nov. 19, 1940 2,269,562 Stritter Jan. 13, 1942 2,585,588 Rice et al. Feb. 12, 1952 

